Portable display device



Jan. 24,1939. 0, PRE S- 2,145,030

PORTABLE DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Jan. 23, 1937 Patented Jan. 24, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claim.

This invention relates to a portable display device, and more specifically to an assemblable, portable structure composed of a number ofjseparable, inexpensive, individual standards and panels adapted to be quickly and easily assembled together and mounted in a display window or the like to produce any one of a number of appropriate and artistic backgrounds, articlesupporting means or mediums on which various products oifered for sale may be suspended or otherwise associated.

In the art of window display advertising and window display building, practically all conventional displays include either panels, boards, units, paper, pictures and other decorative media which are easily mounted by means of nails, screws, glue, or equivalent fastening means, all of which require a high degree of expertness, experience and skill, all of which qualities are possessed by experienced window trimmers and specialized artists. Additionally, the usual window display is necessarily broken up when removed and thrown away, at material expense.

My invention has as an important object the elimination of most of these presentlywell-known undesirable and expensive factors, as will be more readily apparent from this specification and from the use of my invention.

More specifically, my invention relates to a plurality of portable easily mountable'standards with ber of positions relative to each other, and which positions may be governed by the particular product in connection with which thedisplay is made, or by the limitations of the area available for the display or by the number or the size of the articles desired to be displayed. 7

Accordingly, it is a further object of my invention to provide a quickly and easily assemblable, portable display device comprising a plurality of interfitting and cooperating standards and panels or frames associated therewith, and inexpensive means for fastening or releasably attaching the respective parts into the desired relative positions, 'all of which parts are readily interchangeable, and the relative positions all of which are interchangeable.

A further object of my invention is the provision of portable standards forum in window displays or the like having a'plurality of longitudinal grooves adapted to receive the longitudinal edges done or more panels'in one ormore angular positions and a yieldable element at the top ofeach 'standard'adapted' to engage said panelsor frames to releasably retain the same in the desired positions.

Other and further important objects of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and claims.

This invention (in the preferred form) is illustrated and described in the following specification.

On the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of one form of my device, showing two panels assembled and one thereof removed.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a corner section of one of the panel frames of my device.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the removable, horizontal, intermediate rail of each said panel frames.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of oneof the removable panel boards.

Fig. 5 is a top plan View, with parts broken away, showing one of the standards and a portion of one of the panel frames inserted in a groove thereof.

Fig. 6 is a slightly enlarged top plan view of a 6 stand upright upon a fiat supporting surface.

The columns l0 and I I are preferably of light construction for convenient portability, and each thereof have a plurality of parallel spaced apart longitudinal grooves l2 therein, which may be of any desired number, and which in the illustration of the drawing are shown as being eightin number on each column. When the columns are made of wood, the grooves of course are formed by suitable tools and grooving machines and when made of plastics or composition, are molded and formed therein, and in the case of metal, may be either cast or pressed and formed into the column by methods well known in the art.

Reference numeral l3 designates panel mem-. bers, panels or frames, as a hole, which may be formed of either wood or metal, and which comprise grooved and mortised side bars l3.A and [3-3 connected together by upper and lower 'cross bars |3-C and I3-D respectively, all the foregoing being joined together by the 'usual 55 tongue and groove joint or other suitable equivalent means such as employed in the art of woodworking and in panel and door construction in general. The side members l3-A and l3-B have inwardly opening central longitudinal grooves l4 therein, as indicated in the drawing to provide for convenient removable mounting of one, two or more insertable panels I3-E, two of which are illustrated in Fig. l as being inserted between side bars |3A and I3B. The two frames l3 at the left of Fig. l are shown as having only the lowermost panel l3-E inserted therein. This convenient insertion and detachment of panels l3-E provide for quick and easy changing of the area of the opening in the panel according to the desire and artistic taste of the display sought to be constructed.

Detachably mounted immediately upon the upper edge of the uppermost inserted panel is a removable sill member [6, illustrated in detail in Fig. 3 as being of T-shape in cross section and having longitudinal downwardly opening groove I6A and having opposite bifurcated ends lB-B and I 6D as illustrated. It will be apparent that inasmuch as no actual nails, screws, bolts, glue or equivalent fastening means are employed in the mounting of panels I3E and sill member I6, that the same may be readily mounted and will be held in the desired position due to said groove construction. It is to be borne in mind that it is desirable to secure together at the respective four corners the upper and lowermost bars I3-C and [3-D and side members I3A and I3B by brads or the like which may be easily removed.

Mounted on one end, which is usually the upper end in position, of each of the columns Ill and l l is a retaining plate I! which may conform in shape and area to the end of the column, each of said plates being attached to the column end by a screw or nail, ll-A, passing through its center and into the column. The flat plate [1, in the preferred form, has a plurality of spaced apart apertures therethrough along its periphery which are so spaced that each aperture overlies the end of the grooves l2, and there being one plate aperture overlying each groove. Either longitudinal side edge of any one of a number of complete panel frames l3 being insertable in said grooves 12, preferably to a snug fit, the same may, when desired, be temporarily secured in engagement with said groove and in the desired position by driving a removable tack or brad through those of the plate apertures l'l--B, which overlie the end of the inserted frames or panel members l3.

An important feature of my invention is the changeability and adaptability of the various parts in that a plurality of columns and a plurality of panel members !3 may be assembled in numerous positions to accord with the desire, artistic taste, display requirements and utility desired, as my device is not limited as a display to any specific article, but may be readily used in connection with numerous items in a hardware store, a notion store, and almost any store in which small articles are adapted for display. In the particular illustration of the drawing, a curtain 20 is shown suspended upon curtain rod 2|, but it is to be understood that these two items do not form a part of the invention herein, but are merely added to illustrate its use.

It will be noted that inasmuch as the metal retaining plate I! is centrally apertured and secured at the center, that the same may when desired be rotatable so as to change from time 24 which I will now describe.

to time the positions of the peripheral apertures "-3 with respect to the groove I2 and with respect to the end of the inserted panel so that nails or equivalent fastening means are not repeatedly driven into the same place in the end of the panel members.

It is further to be borne in mind that the columns l0 and II are not limited to cylindrical shapes, but that the same may, with equivalent and like construction, be of octagonal, hexagonal, square, rectangular or other cross section and have similarly spaced apart longitudinal grooves.

As plates ll are securely fastened by means of screw or nail ll-A, and lie against the even end of the grooved columns I I, when the respective frames whose edges fit into the grooves of said columns are inserted in the desired positions in said grooves, the respective retaining plate frictionally engages the end surfaces of said frames, thereby frictionally holding the same in the inserted and desired position.

In Fig. 6 of the drawing, I have shown and illustrated a fragmentary view of a column 22 of octagon cross section and having longitudinal grooves 23 identical with grooves l2, and which includes in modified form a metal retaining plate In this modified form, the retaining plate is designated by reference' numeral 24, and which has a plurality of radial slits 25 opening on its periphery in positions corresponding to the positions or spacings of the grooves of the column used in connection therewith. A relatively small rectangular portion of plate 24 on each side of said slits 25 is bent and struck downwardly and thence horizontally extended, each struck-out portion forming an extension 26, each of which extensions are shown in elevation in the enlarged fragmentary view in Fig. 7. Integral projections or abutments 2'! are formed by pressing out a small portion of each extension 28 and each said abutment extends a short distance into the respective grooves 23 and these are slightly yieldable to pressure upon the insertion of respective panel members I 3. It is to be noted that relatively small downwardly extending integral abutments are stuck in extensions 26, which are so positioned that they will engage and snap into correspondingly spaced recesses 28 formed in the upper end of panel members 13 substantially as shown in the upper portion of Fig. 6. In employing retaining plate 24 of this modified construction, it is to be borne in mind that the lower end of the same column has a suitable end plate secured thereon of construction similar or identical to either of the retaining plates H or 24, so that when the various panels, panel members or frames l3 and inserting into the grooves of the column in the desired position, the extensions 26 will yield slightly upwardly and the abutments 27 will snap into recesses or apertures 28 in the end of the panel to detachably hold the same in said position.

It will be apparent that employment of the construction of my invention and which I have illustrated and described, or equivalents thereof will permit the building of portable window or interior displays in the art of merchandising in numerous arrangements and combinations and that the number of columns and the number of panels may be varied at will to fullfil the requirements of the particular artistic taste and its art.

Various changes may be made in the embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention or any features thereof, and nothing herein shall be construed as limitations upon the invention, its concept or structural embodiment as to the whole or any part thereof except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a portable background or the like, a plurality of portable columns, each of said columns having a plurality of externally opening longitudinal grooves therein; a plurality of panel members having a substantially straight lateral edge adapted to be inserted in any of said grooves of said columns to thereby position said panel members vertically and in any relative angular position; and a metal retaining plate on the end of each said column and having its periphery overlying the ends of said column grooves, the surface of said plate being adapted to frictionally engage the ends of said panels, when inserted, and means to releasably hold said panels in the desired inserted position.

2. In a portable and removable device for advertising displays or the like, a plurality of portable columns having spaced apart longitudinal grooves therealong; a plurality of portable detachable panel members, the longitudinal edges of said panel members being insertable in said column grooves to position said panels in any desired position relative to each other and at any angle with respect to each other; an apertured retaining plate on the opposite ends of each said column, the annular periphery of each said plates overlying the end of said longitudinal grooves, the plates of each column being adapted to impinge upon and engage the opposite end surfaces respectively of each said panel member and means to releasably retain said panel member in position.

3. In a display device, a plurality of portable columns having spaced apart longitudinal grooves therealong; a plurality of portable detachable panel members, the longitudinal edges of said panel members being insertable in said column grooves to position said panels in any desired position relative to each other and at any angle with respect to each other; a retaining plate on the ends of said columns and having a plurality of spaced apart peripheral apertures therethrough, said plate apertures being adapted to overlie the, ends of said longitudinal grooves of said columns and permitting removable fastening nails to be driven through said apertures and into the ends of said panel members to thereby temporarily hold said panel members in the desired position.

4. In a display device, a plurality of portable columns having spaced apart longitudinal grooves therealong; a plurality of portable detachable panel members, the longitudinal edges of said panel members being insertable in said column grooves to position said panels in any desired position relative to each other and at any angle with respect to each other; a metal retaining plate rotatably secured on the end of each said column and having a plurality of peripheral apertures therein providing convenient means for nails or the like to be driven therethrough to engage the ends of said panel members to retain same in desired relative and angular positions.

5. In a portable and removable device for advertising displays or the like, a plurality of portable columns having spaced apart longitudinal grooves therealong; a plurality of portable detachable panel members, the longitudinal edges of said panel members being insertable in said column grooves to position said panels in any desired position relative to each other and at an angle with respect to each other; each of said panel members comprising a substantially rectangular frame having inwardly opening grooves, and a plurality of removable panels engaging said inwardly opening grooves; a retaining plate on the opposite ends of each said column, the annular periphery of each said plates overlying the end of said longitudinal grooves, the plates of each column being adapted to impinge upon and engage the opposite end surfaces respectively of each said panel member to releasably retain said panel member in position.

6. In a portable background or the like, a plurality of portable columns, each of said columns having a plurality of externally opening longitudinal grooves therein; a plurality of panel members having a substantially straight lateral edge adapted to be inserted in any of said grooves of said columns to thereby position said panel members vertically and in any relative angular position; a metal retaining plate secured on the end of each said columns, said plate having a plurality of spaced apart downwardly struck radially slit integral abutments, said integral abutments being adapted to overlie the ends of said column grooves respectively and being adapted to frictionally engage the end surfaces respectively of said panel members, when inserted, to detachably hold said panel members in the desired inserted positions.

DAVID PRESS. 

